So I've proven to be a fairly poor blogger over the past year due to my pitiful number of blogs but none-the-less, I'm back....writing.
Um....where do even start. This dilemma again...
I had my first day of classes of my second semester at Briercrest today and all three of my classes look very interesting and challenging. I am excited to be back in Caronport learning about the God i have chosen to fully devote myself too. In thoughts, actions, and motivation. This all stems from an amazing first semester this fall and a FUN and INTENSE Christmas break back in lovely Saskatoon.
First semester was a bit wierd at first; Not gonna lie. Since I was only taking 3 classes on Mon and Wed, and working tues, thurs, fri with a farmer for harvest I kind of had a hard time just being able to make some quick friendships and I was pretty discouraged. I found the change in routine hard to get used to as well. It wasn't really until about the middle of October when I had a pretty significant God moment which happened while I was singing and reading and praying by myself in the basement. God was finally able to break through my human efforts for acceptance when I truly realized why I was in Caronport. I was here to connect with HIM. Once that vertical connection was recognized, it seemed like every day there was horizontal (human) connections made that were exactly who and what I needed at that specific time. That weekend was a missions conference called 28:19 which is from the great commission in the gospel of Matthew. God had some big things for me there including affirmation for future plans regarding the japanese nation and peoples. Very exciting and encouraging. I had an intense vision on Friday night laying in my bed which I will never forget. Monday night I went to Regina with a friend Jess and we watched the second Invisible Children documentary and I was rocked. Such an injustice still taking place in Uganda. Then Tuesday was Day of Prayer which is a semester highlight for many B-crest students. It was amazing. God is so faithful...when we seek....He is there. Ready to empower, encourage, challenge, comfort and LOVE. 'The more I seek you, The more I find you'-Kari Jobe. Why do we get so excited when God shows up....or we experience Him on a day such as this,....He has told us in the Bible that He will never leave us, that when people gather and pray that He is attentive and delights in our efforts to communicate with HIM. I came away from that fired up at the intensity it brought to my own life, but at the same time a little bit discouraged because it perhaps exposed our lack of persistency and faithfulness. (especially as one body....as the CHURCH)
I went to Saskatoon for mod break at the end of October and my discipline of being in the word (bible) ceased and consequently my passion began to fade. I was bummed out by that. I'm sick of being on a roller-coaster of spiritual emotion and want to be consistent in my desire to follow and seek and please the Lord. So I dove back into my personal time listening to songs on you-tube such as 'How He Loves Us' by Kim Walker, the more i seek you, and alot of othere Kim Walker stuff I can't remember the names of right now...haha. Crazy as it may seem, I began to reconnect with God... Could this be a direct correlation?? Bible=passion? Intimacy w/ The Lord=fire in the soul? I think so. Absolutely. So aside from honestly learning new things daily in my three classes with AMAZING prof's, I was learning was it meant to sit in the presence of the Holy God, knowing the He enjoys every second I devote to HIM.... knowing that I am so much more valuable for work in the Kingdom when I can learn who I really am....(in Him) and fully embrace it. To say, this is what my strengths are, this is where I am weak, and take pride in the precision in which our Soverign Creator has put us together. To figure out what gets us fired up; our Holy Discontent as Bill Hybels puts it. I don't think satan gets much more fearful when a child of God realized their potential and embraces themselves for who God has created them to be. It is a powerful realization and a very crucial one in your life as a disciple and representative of Christ Jesus.
I was able to chat and encourage and learn from sooo many people throughout the remainder of the semester. Coffee meetings with great men in the community, brothers in Christ, fellow students, pastors, Briercrest employees....I feel incredibly blessed to have chatted and learned from every single person who took the time to laugh and learn and cry with me. A prayer group was started with a very devoted core of people in this time and good things are happening through it and will continue to happen with an even greater effectiveness as we continue in our devotion of seeking the Lord and His desire for our community. Soon before the semester wound down, I came across a video by John Piper on the topic of suffering and it really made me question alot of things.... like maybe if Im not suffering in our day to day lives, I'm not doing exactly the things that will cause discomfort and rifts that only the Holy Spirit can mend. I went into the Christmas break with an expectancy to see situations in which I would be uncomfortable and 'suffering' might be real. For the testing of your faith develops character and perserverance. I was very excited to be back in Saskatoon. I love that city. I was able to reconnect with old friends. Both those who believe and follow Christ' example, as well as you that have not made the decision to do so. I had many lunch dates and coffee's and I can honestly say that I walked away from every single one excited and encouraged in all of my friendships. I met some really great people that are invloved with the VanGuard house/church, the Bridge ministry and had some really intense prayer and times of crying out to God. Had a great couple of days to myself in which I was able to read, reflect and relax. God is definitely in those times as well.
So looking back on my Christmas break, I can without a doubt say that I was tested, challenged, strengthened in my faith and given the oppourtunity to put all these nice things I've learned in the safe flourishing environment of Bible School into practice. I did not do anything that I regret or am ashamed of. In many ways, I wish I was still in Saskatoon. There was not enough time to talk and laugh with so many people. But I know that everyone I had the chance to meet and talk with blessed me and I enjoyed every moment with every one of you. I was so excited to come back to Caronport on Sunday night as well....I know this semester is going to be absolutely amazing and cannot wait to dive into my classes and relationship here as well. The God that I am trying to follow is truly everywhere. He doesn't just hang out on Bible School campuses, or churches in various towns, but in every situation and every relationship. In everything, but that doesn't mean that those things can become your God either. I believe that Jesus Christ was indeed a real man, and that He died on a cross because it was the will of God the Father. This death (and more importantly) His Resurrection is the reason I believe what I do. If this never happened, there would be no hope for me. I am a Christian because I accepted this sacrifice for all the junk that I have done and the sinful nature that I was born into. If I do not have Faith in Jesus Himself, then I believe I do not have Faith in anything that matters. This causes me to try and act differently which I hope shows that the Love and Power of Christ is very POWERFUL and very REAL! I hope that those of you who have known me over the past few years when I was partying notice a difference in me. I also hope that you see that I am still ME. Still the Dan that you can laugh with and talk with. I feel the same, but I feel different in a radical life-changing way. I feel like I am the optimal version of who I CAN BE. I believe that this is what Jesus was talking about when He said the reason that He came was so that anyone who believes can HAVE LIFE, but not just HAVE it, but have it to the most FULLFILLING degree imaginable. Challenges most definitely still arise, I still get bummed out and hurt and sad....God created all these emotions for us to grow in Him and in ourselves...I know that I have one who has promised Never to LEAVE or FORSAKE me. The Lord God in His Mighty Power and love takes delight in me; in my life; and I can truly call Him a friend!! There is no greater joy than this.
I am excited for 2010.....I am excited because I know that the Lord is going to act and move in some pretty powerful ways this year. Both in Caronport and Saskatoon.... Revival is knocking on the doors of my heart and on the hearts of those who are willing to sacrifice things to seek Him in faithful obedience. 2010 is going to be a great year for me and I hope that those of you who see me in this year will be able to get a glimpse of how God is working and what He is doing in my life and from my vantage point. May your hearts be softened and eyes/ears open to truly hear what this message is all about. Blessings in 2010.
